ELDERS AND STAFF

Governing Elders

Senior Leadership

Community Life

International Ministries

Student Ministries

Children's Ministries

Disabilities Ministries

Weekend Services

Operations

Abraham Kandathil

Elder

Abraham has been attending Grace since Christmas of 2013. He grew up in a Christian home in India and came to Baltimore in 2010 for his fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he currently works. He lives with his wife and best friend, Tabita and their children, Trishelle and Tanaaya. Besides spending time with his family he loves running, chocolates and eating Tabita’s food. He is also part of the prayer ministry at Grace.

Ben Abell

Executive Pastor

Ben became a follower of Jesus while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a double major in economics and industrial relations. After graduating in 1982, Ben held various roles in sales and marketing with Black & Decker, which gave him the opportunity to travel around the world. In 1997, Ben sensed the Lord’s call to leave industry and enter full-time ministry at Grace. Since then, Ben has overseen many aspects of ministry. Currently, Ben's focus is to increase the effectiveness of Grace Fellowship Church in accomplishing our purpose, mission, vision, and values (PMVV) by integrating, coordinating and overseeing the ministry and programs of the church. The Executive Pastor facilitates and implements the vision and mission of the church, under the guidance of the Lead Pastor. Ben holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary of the East. He and Laura have been married since 1985 and have four children.

Brent Bowden

Elder

Brent began attending Grace Fellowship Church in May 1995 and committed his life to Jesus in the fall of that year. He has been a volunteer in several ministries over the years including CareNet, Prayer Team, Ironmen, and Lay Counseling. Brent earned a double major in political science and history in 1994 from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He also has a Masters degree in Business and Health Administration. Brent's life verse is Zephaniah 3:17. He and his wife Chris live in Timonium with their two children: Josh and Caroline.

Brian Pabst

Elder

Brian became a follower of Jesus as a senior at Syracuse University. He and his family have been a part of Grace since 1995. Over the years he has actively served as a volunteer with several ministries, including Wildfire, Marriages and Families, Healing Prayer, Life Groups and baptisms. Brian earned an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. He currently serves as chairman of the Maryland Board of Nursing Home Administrators, as an Assistant Scoutmaster and as a board member of HopeSprings (the HIV/AIDS ministry). Brian’s passion is to see the fullness of Jesus manifested in the work-place. He and his wife Mary have been married since 1980 and have been blessed with three sons. He currently serves as lead elder.

Bryan Polivka

Elder

Bryan Polivka gave his life to God on a mountaintop in Colorado at age 15, then came to Christ at a Jesus People tent on the midway of a county fair. Committed but ostracized by family, most of whom have since professed faith, he went to Bible College where he met Jeri, his wife and partner of now 37 years. His journey has taken him to study at L’Abri in Switzerland, through a career in television that included an Emmy, and into a second career as a consultant in education technology. He and Jeri have been core members of two church plants, and Bryan has authored four adventure/fantasy novels that center on the hero’s spiritual quest.

Bryan is a committed member of the GFC prayer ministry, and he and Jeri lead a Life Group in Owings Mills. They have two adult children, both of whom grew up at Grace.

Kathy Bruce

Elder

Kathy Bruce has called Grace home since 1985 and has been an Elder since 2009. She answered the call from the Lord to “come unto Me” in June 1980. Her journey with God has been transformational. She has seen God enlarge her borders in many leadership capacities, including mentoring/discipling women for more than 33 years, teaching workshops on leadership skills, chairing Women in The Word from 2007-2012 and leading small groups for 20 + years. Kathy attended CCBC for two years and took courses at Liberty University while raising her family. She also earned a certificate in Leadership from the Women’s Leadership Development Institute (BridgeWay Community Church) in 2008.

Kathy loves traveling with her husband, chocolate, gardening, hanging out with her family, making new friends, mentoring/discipling women and developing skills in church leadership. She also loves writing TheLookingGlassByKathy, a blog for transformational living.

Kathy and her husband John married in 1978 and live in Parkville. They have four grown children and seven precious grandchildren.

Moreen Suter

Director of SHAPE

Moreen committed her life to Christ at age 17 through Young Life at Towson High School. She received an RN degree from Union Memorial Hospital and worked as a nurse for 18 years. Moreen also attended Baltimore School of the Bible and several other leadership training seminars. She has used her leadership training in multiple community ministries: Bible Study Fellowship, Search Ministries (training women) and Community Bible Study where she served for 17 years as an Area Director. Moreen has been a central part of Grace Fellowship Church since it began in 1980. She is responsible for leading the team that established the Spiritual Gifts Ministry in 1985. In 2005 the S.H.A.P.E. Ministry & Workshops was formed, and Moreen continues to be the Director of S.H.A.P.E., where she also teaches and trains other consultants. Moreen has also served and led in many other areas within Grace over the years. Her spiritual gifts are: administration, leading, and prophecy. Moreen was commissioned as an elder in 2012. She lives in Timonium. Moreen has three adult children and three grandchildren. Her life verse is: Proverbs 3:5-6.

Ron Walcher

Elder

Dr. Ron Walcher has been involved in several ministries at Grace since he started coming 16 years ago. Originally from Texas, he and his wife Barbara moved to Maryland to complete his medical training in General and Developmental Pediatrics. As a result, he became a practitioner and professor at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Since retiring in 2000, he and Barbara have served at Grace in teaching, mentoring, and small group leadership. They have served internationally on behalf of Grace in six regions, including Southeast Asia and Central Asia; and in two disaster relief efforts. Ron and Barbara have been married for over 50 years and have two grown children and four grandchildren. Ron became an elder in 1999.

Shea Strickland

Lead Pastor

Shea Strickland is excited and grateful to be the Lead Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church. He has been working in ministry helping to build local churches in different parts of the US for over 20 years. Shea studied ministry at Lee University in Cleveland, TN and grew up in Atlanta Ga. He is married to his incredible wife Diane and they have two amazing kids, Kyndel and Chase.

Steve Bailey

Elder

Steve was raised in a devout Catholic home, and first began attending Grace Fellowship Church in December of 1988 after being invited by his then girlfriend, now wife, Jeanne. Steve and Jeanne married in 1990 and have three, incredible, adult children, Megan, Hannah, and Ryan, who know and love the Lord. Over the years, Steve and Jeanne have lead and participated in several life groups. Steve has been active in the men’s ministry of Ironmen, and served on the Discernment Selection Team when Shea Strickland was hired to succeed Danny O’Brien as lead pastor. Steve has been practicing law since 1988. Steve’s personal mission is to love God and love others and to embrace opportunities to introduce the folks that the Lord puts in our path to Jesus, the one who makes all things new.

Takashi Yoshioka

Elder

Takashi came to know Jesus through loving Christians at the ISI international student ministry at SUNY/Buffalo, where he obtained his MS in Biophysics and PhD in Physiology (Neuroscience), following his BS in Electrical Engineering at Akita University in Japan. Through this ministry, he met his future wife Julie. Their family has attended Grace Fellowship Church since 1992 when he received a research faculty position at Johns Hopkins University.

While studying brain function and anatomy in visual and tactile systems, he ran the International Student Ministry at Hopkins. In 2012, after his grant expired, he left Hopkins. Following a brief period of unemployment, he co-founded the Career Transition Coaching ministry at Grace Fellowship with Jack Davies. He also helped found the International House, a Christian residential community in Charles Village with Karl and Debbie Dortzbach. He is now a realtor helping families transition to new homes. He renews his spiritual energy at Ironman, Men’s Fellowship at Grace.

Takashi and Julie have three daughters, Stephanie, Natalie, and Valerie, who participated in high school ministry, disability ministry, hurricane disaster relief, Casa Chirilagua in Alexandria VA, and/or missions in Nogales, Mexico. The family delights to share God’s love by entertaining internationals and job seekers at their home.

Troy Young

Elder

Troy became a follower of Jesus in 1996 when he was 25 years old through a Grace Fellowship House Church. Troy is married and has been blessed with 3 children. He has served in various ministries at Grace including the Marriage and Family Ministry as Marriage Mentors, the Children’s Ministry and he currently serves in Rooted Student Ministries as a leader of a Middle School small group. Troy has also taught the Word of God for 16 years in Community Bible Study and currently serves as its Teaching Director. He has a BS in Accounting from Salisbury University and is an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and CPA (inactive) and currently works in risk management at WillisTowersWatson.

Shea Strickland

Lead Pastor

Shea Strickland is excited and grateful to be the Lead Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church. He has been working in ministry helping to build local churches in different parts of the US for over 20 years. Shea studied ministry at Lee University in Cleveland, TN and grew up in Atlanta Ga. He is married to his incredible wife Diane and they have two amazing kids, Kyndel and Chase.

Ben Abell

Executive Pastor

Ben became a follower of Jesus while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a double major in economics and industrial relations. After graduating in 1982, Ben held various roles in sales and marketing with Black & Decker, which gave him the opportunity to travel around the world. In 1997, Ben sensed the Lord’s call to leave industry and enter full-time ministry at Grace. Since then, Ben has overseen many aspects of ministry. Currently, Ben's focus is to increase the effectiveness of Grace Fellowship Church in accomplishing our purpose, mission, vision, and values (PMVV) by integrating, coordinating and overseeing the ministry and programs of the church. The Executive Pastor facilitates and implements the vision and mission of the church, under the guidance of the Lead Pastor. Ben holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary of the East. He and Laura have been married since 1985 and have four children.

Janet Liao

Lead Pastor Executive Administrator

Janet serves Grace Fellowship Church as the Lead Pastor Executive Administrator. She works with the Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor to support and help them execute their ministry visions and special projects. Prior to this position, Janet served for several years as a Community Life Administrator supporting Life Groups and co-leading Women in the Word. She also actively volunteers in Children's Ministry.

Janet grew up in Syracuse, NY where she organized anything and everything and fed her lifelong love of office supplies. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a BS in Hospitality Administration. She and her husband Tom have been married since 2003 and have two children.

Erich Becker

Congregational Care Pastor

Upon graduating from The College of William and Mary in 1975 with a B.A. in English, Erich spent 5 years teaching High School English in Virginia Beach, VA, before joining the staff of Young Life, where he served in Norfolk, VA (3 years) and here in Baltimore (4 years). In January 1987, Erich joined the staff of Grace Fellowship Church, where he has served since then, in too many different roles to recount.

In his current role as Director of Congregational Care and Co-Director (with his wife Ginny) of Adult Discipleship Classes/Groups, he gets to express his gifts and serve in the areas of his passion: helping individuals and marriages find hope and health, and helping the church transform our communities and expand the Kingdom of God.

Erich and Ginny have 4 adult children and 5 grandchildren (with more to come). For fun he enjoys playing soccer, for relaxation he enjoys reading mindless murder mystery novels, and you can often find him ironing a bunch of shirts in front of an Orioles game.

Ginny Becker

Adult Ministries Pastor

Ginny began a relationship with Christ at age 12 through the mentoring of godly parents and 5 older siblings. She and her husband, Erich, began attending Grace in 1984. Erich joined the staff in 1987 to start the youth ministry and Ginny was a volunteer leader.

She has participated as a volunteer in many capacities through the years; Youth Ministries, Worship leading, Women in the Word, International Ministries and the Marriage and Family ministry. Ginny joined the staff in 2007.

As co-director of the Adult Ministries team, she loves helping people grow in the Lord and develop healthy, loving relationships. Her creative passion is ballet and she expresses it through part-time teaching, which she has done for 33 years in a variety of studios in Baltimore. Ginny has her B.S. from Old Dominion University.

She takes great delight in hanging out and playing with her 4 kids, 2 sons-in-law and 5 (almost 6) grandchildren.

Wanda Bickers

Connections Ministries Pastor

Wanda is the Director of Connections at Grace Fellowship Church. She looks forward to meeting every person that comes to visit Grace. She has a passion to help people get connected and continue growing in their personal journeys with Christ. Even if you been at Grace for some time but might be looking for some new ways to get the involved she would love to connect with you and help you find your next steps.

In her free time Wanda loves to work in her garden, read non-thinking books, having friends over for dinner and conversation and taking long walks with her four legged friends Toby and Frankie. She also volunteers with Young Lives which is a ministry for teen moms and their babies.

Lauren Brown

Young Adult Ministry

Lauren's church home has been GFC since she was 6 years old. She went to McDaniel College where she majored in Sociology. By finding community in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, her faith and leadership was strengthened and challenged. Since graduating, Lauren spent a year on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the Peabody Institute and became a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.

Lauren serves in the Nursery every Sunday morning and finds much joy in loving on the littlest ones while their parents attend main service. When she's not at church, Lauren enjoys cooking and baking clean food recipes, walking her neighborhood and being in community with her neighbors. She is deeply passionate about creating space and community for her peers in the 20-30 something age range.

Pat Goodman

Men's Ministries Pastor

Pat Goodman (Goodie) serves alongside a terrific team of men in spearheading what we are doing with the men of Grace. This ministry's desire, through the power of friendship, is to create environments where men’s hearts will be restored, challenged and provoked to foster human flourishing in those places where they have influence. Believing that our faith is meant to “have feet” we work hard in helping men see how their faith connects with and is meant to influence every dimension of their life. Everyone is welcome however they might describe their life of faith. A wide range of ages is represented which fosters a wide range of needed perspectives in sharing our lives.

Pat's with his wife Betsy have been married 36 years and have been a part of Grace for 27 of those years. They are privileged to have 3 grown and married children (2 daughters and a son) and 6 grandchildren (and they are hoping for more!).

Tara Kahnert

Women's Ministry Pastor

Tara came on staff in June 2014 as the Director of Women’s Ministry. She has a heart to create a welcoming environment where women can experience the love of God, encounter Jesus in a first-hand personal way and live daily through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. She loves to equip women to walk in their identity and purpose to be all that God created them to be and to experience wholeness and healing in every dimension of their lives. Tara loves serving alongside amazing teams of women who love God deeply and are using their gifts to love God and serve others.

Born and raised here in Baltimore, Tara grew up in a Christian home and committed her life to following Christ at the age of 10. She came to Grace during college in 1989. She earned a B.S. in Mathematics and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola College. Tara served as a Young Life leader for 5 years and then as a leader in our student ministry for 13 years. Since then, she has held other ministry roles including leadership of Women in the Word for the past several years.

She and JP have been married since 1994 and have three wonderful children.

Jan Koester

Life Recovery Ministries - Lay Leader

Jan is the Lay Associate for Life Recovery. This ministry is committed to providing an environment of God’s grace and power for those seeking healing from life issues such as addiction, anxiety, depression, abuse, or dysfunction. Life Recovery is a group of men and women who share in the experience of humanity’s problems. Along with these struggles, most of us suffer from a deep sense of shame, believing that we need to keep our problems hidden from those around us. It is also a community that longs for a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The primary objective is to know Him more. By entering into true fellowship with God and each other in authentic community, we experience progressive victory over that which causes our bondage.

She enjoys speaking about God’s word and recovery issues, teaching the Word in any arena, and shepherding folks in recovery. As a staff member, she is happy to answer any and all inquiries about Life Recovery.

She is also a married mother of 3 and grandmother of 6 who has been in active recovery for almost 7 years. Other interests include gardening, inside and outside, animals (especially humpback whales, penguins and butterflies), reading and movies.

Moreen Suter

Elder/SHAPE Ministries Director

Moreen committed her life to Christ at age 17 through Young Life at Towson High School. She received an RN degree from Union Memorial Hospital and worked as a nurse for 18 years. Moreen also attended Baltimore School of the Bible and several other leadership training seminars. She has used her leadership training in multiple community ministries: Bible Study Fellowship, Search Ministries (training women) and Community Bible Study where she served for 17 years as an Area Director. Moreen has been a central part of Grace Fellowship Church since it began in 1980. She is responsible for leading the team that established the Spiritual Gifts Ministry in 1985. In 2005 the S.H.A.P.E. Ministry & Workshops was formed, and Moreen continues to be the Director of S.H.A.P.E., where she also teaches and trains other consultants. Moreen has also served and led in many other areas within Grace over the years. Her spiritual gifts are: administration, leading, and prophecy. Moreen was commissioned as an elder in 2012. She lives in Timonium. Moreen has three adult children and three grandchildren. Her life verse is: Proverbs 3:5-6.

Janice Pope

International Ministries Associate

Janice came to Baltimore from Austin, Texas with her husband in 1984. They landed at Grace Fellowship early on and immediately knew it was home. Since then, Janice has been involved in a variety of roles in several GFC venues including international, middle and high school, and women's ministries.

Both as a volunteer and as a supporter for many years, Janice is well acquainted with International Ministries. In her current staff role as Pastoral Care Associate, she seeks to bring ways for fieldworkers in our focus areas of Southeast and Central Asia (as well as partners in other locales) to thrive in their respective ministries. She has traveled internationally and has worked alongside fieldworkers in Okinawa, Japan as a high school teacher at a Christian school.

Janice graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She and her husband Russ live in Towson and have two adult children.

Joe Steinitz

International Ministries Associate

Joe served in Indonesia for one and a half years as a field worker focusing primarily on a disenfranchised people group in a large city in southeast Asia.

After returning to the US, Joe served as missions director at Grace for eight years. In 2001 Joe started a ministry called GraceXtensions which helps other churches discover, develop and improve their cross-cultural missions program. Joe currently serves at Grace as a missions associate and as interim co-director of Grace’s International Ministries department.

He is married to Michele and they have six children. For obvious reasons, Joe has no hobbies.

Mark Vowles

Young Adult/Student Ministry

Born and raised in Northeast Charm City, Mark is a lover of all things arts, culture, and community. A true eclectic musically, it is not uncommon for his playlist to jump from classical to punk rock, or bluegrass to Gregorian chant all in the span of an afternoon. Mark spent his twenties playing and recording in multiple bands in Philadelphia and in Baltimore, has produced and acted in several short films, and cohosted a comedy podcast. He has spent the last five years leading worship at a handful of local churches and has been an active member of the main service worship team.

Mark has recently joined the RSM: Rooted Student Ministries to head up an initiative to spark a creative worship presence in the younger generation of Grace Fellowship Church. A few of his favorite things are his nephews & niece, Old Bay Wings, and all things C.S. Lewis.

Luke Casagrande

Students Pastor

Luke Casagrande has been serving in full time vocational ministry since 2009. Currently, he is serving as Pastor of Students (middle and high school) and is excited about what God has in store for our young people at Grace. Luke is deeply passionate about the emerging generation and has a heart to see young people interwoven into the fabric of our church in bringing the fullness of Jesus to all of life. Luke is married to his beautiful wife Kelly and they have two kids. Luke is deeply honored to be serving on staff for such an amazing church and is blessed to call the members of Grace Fellowship Church his family.

JP Kahnert

Church Operations Pastor/Interim Student Min.

Raised in a Christian home, JP committed his heart and life to Jesus Christ during his high school years. While earning a Communications Degree from Towson University, he sensed a call to ministry and started on staff as an intern in Grace’s Student Ministry. This role expanded and over the next 14 years he became the Director of High School Ministry and later the SHAPE Ministry director. JP serves as Grace’s Pastor of Operations as well as leading Student Ministry Life Groups. JP holds a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry (Executive Church Leadership) from Denver Seminary.

Juliana Plugues

Student Ministry Program Associate

Juliana is the Student Ministry Program Associate. Her role allows her to pursue her passions in materializing vision and bringing elements together to create a memorable experience. She feels privileged to be a part of a church that seeks to create an atmosphere where everyone can have a meaningful encounter with Jesus. Juliana served God at her previous church as Guest Services Leader. She also had great experiences with serving in faith building classes, Prayer, Youth and Women’s Ministry. She deeply cares to be a part of God’s movement in developing people as they go through impressionable life stages. Her prayer is that she would experience revival alongside of many youth in this city and believes the impact will ripple past state lines, even generations.

Christine Seese

Student Ministries Administrator

Christine Seese is excited to join the Student Ministries team at Grace Fellowship Church after working for many years in field of college admission. Originally from Wisconsin, she earned a degree in Sculpture and Art History from the Maryland Institute College of Art where she met her husband, Kirk. Together, with their two awesome kids, Jacob and Sophia, they have been members of the GFC community since 2010.

Mark Vowles

Young Adult/Student Ministry

Born and raised in Northeast Charm City, Mark is a lover of all things arts, culture, and community. A true eclectic musically, it is not uncommon for his playlist to jump from classical to punk rock, or bluegrass to Gregorian chant all in the span of an afternoon. Mark spent his twenties playing and recording in multiple bands in Philadelphia and in Baltimore, has produced and acted in several short films, and cohosted a comedy podcast. He has spent the last five years leading worship at a handful of local churches and has been an active member of the main service worship team.

Mark has recently joined the RSM: Rooted Student Ministries to head up an initiative to spark a creative worship presence in the younger generation of Grace Fellowship Church. A few of his favorite things are his nephews & niece, Old Bay Wings, and all things C.S. Lewis.

Betsey Pierce

Children's Ministries Pastor

Betsey came on staff in 2012 with a passion for community specifically in the Children’s Ministry. Her life experiences and giftedness have stirred this passion for community and she desires to help children and families connect here at Grace in hopes to build a strong relationship with our Lord Jesus and with one another. Her hope is that through community our children and families will live lives for Christ that make a difference here in Baltimore and in this world.

Betsey grew up in a Christian home in Connecticut. She came to Maryland in 1992 after graduating from Messiah College with a BSN in Nursing. She worked for 9 years as a nurse in Baltimore and overseas before starting a family with her husband, Chip. Betsey and Chip have 3 lively children, Morgan, Levi and Kirsten, who are involved here at Grace in the Middle School Ministry and Children’s Ministry.

Aly Huggins

Children's Ministry Preschool Associate

Aly is on staff as an Interim Associate in the Children’s Ministry. She is filling a part-time role on the Children’s Ministry Team helping to recruit volunteers for the preschool and elementary classrooms on Sunday mornings. Aly loves young children and is excited about being a part of spiritual growth in the lives of children, families, and volunteers at Grace.

Aly received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Towson University and taught First Grade in Baltimore County for 6 years before being a stay-at-home mom and babysitting for friends. She has previously volunteered in the nursery and her husband serves in the Disabilities Ministry. Aly and Jason have been married for almost 7 years and have 3 young children, Carter, George, and Nolan.

McKenzie Waldhauser

Children Ministry Elementary Intern

McKenzie is a recent graduate of Geneva College, where she studied ministry and missions. She previously worked for a church in Pittsburgh as their Assistant Children’s Director, and is thrilled to continue in children’s ministry after moving back to Baltimore. McKenzie is a current student at St. Mary’s Seminary and has a passion for theology. She looks forward to strengthening the elementary curriculum, and desires the growth of children’s hearts into the way of love and biblical truth.

Johannah Williams

Children's Ministry Administrator

Johannah moved to the Baltimore area in September 2015 after marrying her husband Sean. She wanted to invest in the area that she moved to and seeking a stronger community, she came on staff here at Grace as the Children’s Ministry Administrator. Sean and Johannah met at James Madison University through their involvement in InterVasity Christian Fellowship. While at JMU, Johannah majored in Health Sciences with a concentration in Health Studies and a minor in Biology. She loves hiking, camping and getting outdoors.

Carissa Mortenson

Disability Ministries Pastor

Carissa Mortenson has spent the past 18 years working in the field of disabilities. She came on staff at Grace in 2008 as the Disabilities Ministry Pastor. Her heart for those affected by disabilities and their families has grown more and more as Grace has become a place of hope and respite for those the world often overlooks. She loves coming along side other churches to continue to raise the awareness of Christ's heart for those with disabilities and the role of the church in their lives. She is on the Board for Kupenda, a group who works to advocate kids with disabilities in Kenya.

Carissa is married to her better half, Ben, and they have four unique children they did not birth, but love as if they did, all who have some sort of disability. She firmly believes that God has brought beauty thru the hard and good that abide together in this life and she is grateful for Grace being her church.

Amanda Wolfe

Disabilities Administrator

Amanda has been part of Grace Fellowship Church since 2010 and has volunteered with several ministries within the church. In 2014, she began helping the Disabilities Ministry with the administration of REST Days. She now works in the Disabilities Ministry as the Volunteer Coordinator for Rest Days and helps with other administrative activities.

Amanda grew up in a small town in Lancaster County Pennsylvania and moved to the Baltimore area in 2007 with her husband, Kevin. Prior to the birth of her first son, she taught math at Overlea High School. Amanda and Kevin have two wonderfully energetic boys, Landon and Beckett.

Thea Taylor

Thea came to Grace in 2011, and began volunteering with the Disabilities Ministry at REST day. During her years at Grace she has helped coordinate programs for adults with disabilities as well as the buddy ministry. Thea enjoys helping those affected by disability to fully participate in the church community.
Thea also works at Creative options Inc. as an Administrative Assistant and staffing coordinator for the Individual Support Services Program. She married her husband Kevin in 2014 and they live in Essex.

Khori Smith

Weekend Services & Teaching Pastor

Khori became a devoted follower of Jesus Christ after graduating from Towson University with a degree in Psychology. Shortly after, he sensed the Lord’s calling on his life to pastoral ministry. In preparation for ministry, Khori attended Howard University School of Divinity where he achieved a Masters of Divinity degree. Following seminary, Khori worked as Director of Operations for Northbay and also held a part-time position at Grace working with Young Adults. Khori works for Grace full time and is passionate about reaching Timonium for Jesus in his role as the Weekend Services and Teaching Pastor. He and his wife Christine were married in 2005 and they have two children.

Mark Domsic

Worship Pastor

Raised in Ocean City, New Jersey, Mark felt the call of God on his life from an early age, but did understand the full extent of that calling until the summer of 2002. After two years as a Jazz Performance major at University of the Arts, He felt the Spirit’s prompting into full time ministry. He transferred to the University of Valley Forge earning a degree in Church Music in 2005. In September of 2014, Mark joined the Grace Fellowship community and serves the church as the worship pastor.

Shawn Slater

Creative Director

Shawn is the Creative Director at Grace. The Creative Ministry’s desire is to inform and inspire our congregation to live in the fullness of Jesus Christ. The Creative Ministry is dedicated to enhancing the potential for connection, growth and transformation for our congregation. Shawn also serves as the graphic designer and videographer on staff.

Shawn enjoys playing drums on the worship team. He and his wife Kim enjoy playing and coaching on various sports teams. They have been given the gift of a son, Lachlan.

Doug Thomas

Production & Technology Ministry Associate

Doug and his wife, Lisa, have 5 children and moved to the area from Florida to follow God’s call on his life to full-time technical ministry. Doug loves to provide technical support for worship and creating beautiful looking and sounding spaces that help to invite people into a deeper relationship with God.

Cultivating a servant’s heart and inspiring others to do the same as they serve in church are high on Doug’s priority list.

His interests include caring for orphans and widows as well as all expressions of worship through art, dance, music, literature, drama and more.

JP Kahnert

Church Operations Pastor/Interim Student Min.

Raised in a Christian home, JP committed his heart and life to Jesus Christ during his high school years. While earning a Communications Degree from Towson University, he sensed a call to ministry and started on staff as an intern in Grace’s Student Ministry. This role expanded and over the next 14 years he became the Director of High School Ministry and later the SHAPE Ministry director. JP serves as Grace’s Pastor of Operations as well as leading Student Ministry Life Groups. JP holds a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry (Executive Church Leadership) from Denver Seminary.

Allison Fuqua

Facility Supervisor

In 2008, Allison joined the Housekeeping Staff at Grace. In 2011, she became the Facility Supervisor. As the facility Supervisor, her desire is to make this facility a safe, comfortable and welcoming place for our staff and congregation so they can worship and serve the Lord.

Allison and her family have attended Grace since 1995. Her 3 children have grown up attending Grace. Her passion continues to be working in the disabilities ministry.

Denise Noon

Front Desk/Facility Host

Denise has attended Grace since 2007. She has three grown children, one who is Autistic.

Life and the struggles that it has presented has given her all she needs for a yearning for a deeper relationship with God. She sought a healing from deep personal pain and found it through her Grace family. It was at Grace that she learned not only to survive but to thrive.

Moira Eick

Moira is an avid volunteer dedicated to serving her community. A mother of four, Moira served on PTA boards and various organizations over a 20 year period. With all four kids now in college and beyond, she turned her volunteer focus to the church. She has over a decade of administrative experience and is excited to put her skills to good use here at Grace.

Moira grew up in the Catholic church, but was inspired to pursue a more personal relationship with Jesus later in life. She began attending Grace in 2014 and fell in love with the community. Moira's heart is to share God's love by serving others, and she is thrilled to be doing that as part of the Grace Fellowship staff!

John Peddicord

Facility Services Team

John has worked on the Facility Services Team at Grace since 2012. He
started attending Grace in 2009. He loves to work in the house of the Lord.

John was born in Baltimore as the youngest of 4 children. He enjoys being involved with his house church, Ironman and Grace Baptisms. In his free time he studies the Bible, rides his bike, camps, swims, and loves to eat.

Carl Peters

Welcome Desk Staff

Carl moved to the Timonium area seven years ago. As he was looking for a home church to attend Grace was recommend to him and has been here ever since.

After volunteering to work at the front desk Carl eventually accepted a position to be a part of the Welcome Desk Staff.

Carls six and a half years at Grace has drawn him closer to the Lord. CarI loves being here because of the people he meets every day.

Stacie Porter

Finance Ministries Director

Stacie's passion in her role as Finance Director is not only to ensure the integrity of our financial statements and transparency to the congregation, but also to provide the best financial tools to help all our ministries operate at their peak performance to reach others for Christ.

Stacie has a degree in Accounting, an MBA, and is also an inactive CPA. She worked for two years in public accounting, 10 years with Pepsi-Cola in both accounting and finance, and 3 years with First Data in Finance. She has worked at Grace since 2001 as the Finance Director, and has attended Grace since 1986.

Cathy Thornton

Front Desk Team Leader

Cathy’s role at Grace is to welcome people who come through our doors, answer their questions or direct them to someone who can, and to help people “find their place” at Grace in a group or through a serving opportunity. You can find her behind the front desk most days of the week, and in the living room on Sunday mornings.

Cathy has been attending Grace for 8 years. She has four grown children and lives in Towson with her husband, Joel and 1,2 or 3 kids.